APPENDIX. No. V. 455 



entirely distinct. This genus is placed by M. de Jussieu in Portulacaceae ; 

 but the alternation of its stamina with the segments of the perianthium, a part 

 of its structure never before adverted to, as well as their insertion, seem to 

 prove its nearer affinity to Phytolacca.* 



Still, however, the lateral stigma, the spiral cotyledons, and want of albumen 

 in Petiveria, remove it to some distance from the other genera of Phytolaceas, 

 and at the same time connect it ^vith Segukria, with which also it agrees in 

 the alhaceous odour of the whole plant. 



The affinity of Segnieria has hitherto remained undetermined, and is here 

 proposed from the examination of three species lately discovered In Brazil, one 

 of whicli has exactly the habit of Rivina octandra, and all of which agree with 

 that plant, as well as with several others belonging to the order, in the very 

 miiuite pellucid dots of their leaves. 



Petiveria and Seguieria may therefore form a sub-division of Phytolaceas: 

 And another section of this order exists in New Holland, of which the two 

 genera differ from each other in number of stamina as remarkably as Petiveria 

 and Seguieria. 



Of the Monocotyledonous orders, the first on which I have any remarks to 

 oflFer, is that of 



PALM^E. The collection, however, contains no satisfactory specimens of 

 any jJant of this family except of Elce'is guincensis, the Maba of the natives, 

 or Oil Palm, wliich appears to be common along the whole of tills line of coast. 

 In Professor Smith's journal it is stated that a single plant of the Maba Palm■^ 

 was cut down, from which Mr. Lockhart informs me that both the male and 

 female spadices preserved in the collection were obtained. This fact seems to 

 decide tliat Elfeis is monoecious, which, indeed, Jacquin, by whom the genus 



♦ Jncistrocarpus of M. Kunth (Nov. Gen. et Sp. PI. Orb. Nov. 2, p. 186) belongs to 

 Pbytolaceie, though its stamina are described to be opposite to the segments of the 

 ealjx: and it is not improbable thzt Mi/tus of Loureiro (Flor. Cochin, p. »02) whose 

 babit, according to the description, is that of Giseckia, from which it differs nearly as 

 Ancistrocarpus does from Microtea, or Rivina octandra from the other species of its 

 genus, may also belong to this order. 



+ Maba is, perhaps, rather applied to the fruit than to the tree: Emba being, ac- 

 cording to Merolla, the name of the single nut, and Cachie th^i of the entire cluster; 

 for the Palm itself, he has no name. Fide Piccardo Retaz. p. 122. 



